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Foolproof Chocolate Frosting

Name: Foolproof Chocolate Frosting
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks), unsalted butter, softened (60 to 65 degrees); 1 cup, confectioners' sugar (4 ounces); 3/4 cup, Dutch-processed cocoa; pinch, table salt; 3/4 cup, light corn syrup; 1 teaspoon, vanilla extract; 8 ounces, milk chocolate, melted and cooled slightly (see note)

Cakes

Appears in Cook's Illustrated March/April 2008, America's Test Kitchen TV

We wanted a frosting that wouldn’t curdle or deflate—or take an hour to set.

YIELD Makes 3 cups to frost one 9-inch 2-layer cake

TIME 25 minutes

Why This Recipe Works

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Gather Your Ingredients

20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (60 to 65 degrees)

1 cup confectioners' sugar (4 ounces)

pinch table salt

¾ cup light corn syrup

Key Equipment

Before You Begin

This frosting may be made with milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate. For our Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake, we prefer a frosting made with milk chocolate. Cool the chocolate to between 85 and 100 degrees before adding it to the butter mixture. The frosting can be made 3 hours in advance. For longer storage, refrigerate the frosting, covered, and let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Instructions

In food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Frosting can be used immediately or held (see note).

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